Growth Mindset

The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, strategy and feedback, rather than being fixed traits.

Explanation

Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, growth mindset contrasts with a "fixed mindset" (the belief that talent is innate and unchangeable). People with a growth mindset treat failure as data, seek feedback, and see effort as the path to mastery rather than a sign of low ability.

Example

A fixed mindset reacts to a bad exam grade with "I'm just not a math person." A growth mindset reacts with "I clearly need a different study method for this topic", and changes the approach.